Heavy rains pounding Nairobi have brought the city to a standstill, flooding major roads, stranding commuters and triggering severe traffic congestion across several neighbourhoods.
The downpour, which has continued for days, turned key routes into streams of muddy water, forcing pedestrians to wade through ankle-to-knee-deep floods while motorists struggled to move through waterlogged streets.
Areas around Uhuru Park, Mombasa Road, Parklands and Mbagathi Way were among the worst affected as drainage systems overflowed and vehicles stalled in rising water.
In some parts of the Central Business District, sections near Uhuru Park were submerged, leaving commuters stranded for hours as matatus, buses and private vehicles struggled to navigate the flooded roads.
City Commuters Caught Offguard
The flooding disrupted morning and evening commutes across the capital, with traffic snarl-ups reported on several major highways including Kenyatta Avenue, Uhuru Highway, Jogoo Road, Lang’ata Road and Limuru Road.
Motorists along Thika Superhighway also reported waterlogged sections around Githurai, Kahawa Sukari and Kenyatta Road, while sections of Mombasa Road near Kyumbi junction and the Greenpark underpass near the Nairobi Expressway experienced pooling water that slowed traffic.
Many vehicles were forced to stop mid-journey as engines stalled in the floodwaters, further worsening the gridlock.
NTSA Urges Caution on Slippery Roads
Following the disruptions, the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) issued a safety advisory warning that the ongoing rains and foggy conditions were creating dangerous driving environments.
“The ongoing rainfall and foggy conditions in some areas are significantly increasing road risks due to reduced visibility and slippery road surfaces,” NTSA said.
The authority urged drivers to slow down, maintain safe distance from other vehicles, switch on headlights during rainfall and avoid attempting to drive through flooded roads.
NTSA also advised motorists to remove stalled vehicles from carriageways quickly to reduce traffic build-up.
“Road safety is a shared responsibility. Let us all work together to make our roads safer,” the agency said.
